Hampton Court

Central London, London, England Greater London

Recommendation added: 16/03/2006 20:10
By: jsimons128 (YSUK rating +93)

jsimons128 has been thanked 1 times for this contribution

"Before Macadam made the biggest single revolution in road building since the Romans, the river thames was the main access to London. That, and the sylvan beauty of its wild valley, must have been the deciding factors in Cardinal Wolseys choice of site for Hampton Court, the most magnificant house of the Tudor age.

Nestling inside an elbow of Britains premier river is an outstanding collection of formal gardens and little architectural conciets-stunning herbaceous borders and long shaded walks lined by ancient trees. The combination of flowers, statues, and fountains in the Privy Garden is considered to show formal gardening at its very best, and the heady breath of the elaborate Herb Garden intoxicates the senses.

There is water here too. The magnificent long water was created by Charles the second in french canal style, and the very old pond garden demonstares that strange, botanical no-mans land between dry and submerged habitats.

The rose garden grows in what was once hoof-hammered lists of henry the eigths Tiltyard, and the modern Knot garden recreates the almost tortured complexity that was sought after by gardeners during the 16th century.

Above all Hampton Court is a place of opposites, contrasts thats are summed up in just two of its features- the charming Wilderness dell which is surrounded by a carpet of daffodils in the springtime and the geometric perfectioins of the famous Maze. Visiting here would be a good idea. There is so much to see."